Advice please - 20 year old son still at college - Can he get any financial support?

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I am hoping someone may point me in the right direction as I have been looking on the internet but can't find any answers.

My stepson is 19, 20 in December. He did a 2 year course at college and then is now mid way through a further diploma course at college. It is a parallel course not any higher in qualification when he finishes than first one was, just in a different subject.

He had 3 years EMA which has now stopped as it is the maximum he could get, has been searching over the last couple of months for a part time job but not found one (another topic completely that he should have been looking for four summers since he left school not the last couple of months!!!!!!!!!)

In December we will stop getting child benefit and tax credits for him (we do have other children so that carries on for them) but my query is...does supporting him financially fall completely on his Dad and I then or are there any grants/loans etc available to him?? He hopes to get a parttime job, intends to apply to Uni next year but what happens between his 20th birthday in December and the time he goes to Uni/gets a job?

Everything I can find on net relates to Uni and not college as it seems most people do a 2 year course at college not the 4 he has done, so by his age he should it seems either be at Uni or be working and supporting himself/giving us board.

Any advice greatly accepted. Thankyou.

Go to the DirectGov website - there is a section on adult learner Grants. It is applicable to those living in England

www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/AdultLearning/FinancialHelpForAdultLearners/Adultlearninggrant/DG_068346

Thanks for the reply. I had spotted that one but as it says it must be your first full level 2 or 3 course that he wouldn't be eligible as its his second course. Maybe as its his first as an adult though it will count?? Need to investigate more.

Any other ideas anyone??

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He should contact his local Student Union for advice. They're usually quite geared up about funding for students. Do encourage him to take the lead on this rather than running around making all the phone-calls. Same goes for finding jobs. Pubs always need bar-staff, supermarkets always need shelf-stackers... he just has to be persistent and motivated. This is a golden opportunity for him to be resourceful rather than falling back on parents.

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